Brake mechanism



L. H. DOYLE BRAKE MECHANISM 7 April! 211,

Filed Dec. 14, 1951 Patented Apr. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRAKE MECHANISM Louis H. Doyle, Clinton, Iowa, assignor of twothirds to H. R. Russell, Long Beach, Calif.

Application December 14, 1931, Serial No. 580,928

1 Claim.

This invention which relates to brake mechanism for railway cars is concerned more particularly with a brake beam assembly having certain features of advantage.

It is the usual practice to provide a car with a horizontal compression member which is located a few inches below the center line of the car wheels.

The brake heads attached to the ends ence is made to whichthe accompanying drawing in Figure 1 is a perspective view of a compression member having assembled therewith the strut,

brake heads, and

compression rod;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the strut member as viewed on line 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the heel of the strut taken as indicated by line 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the strut taken as indicated by line 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the strut taken as indicated by line 5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a brake beam C adapted to be known manner.

supported by hangers in a well Each beam may comprise a tension member 12, brake heads 13 secured to each end thereof by a tension rod l4, and a strut I5 interposed between the compression member and compression rod.

The tubular strut i5 is of substantially uniform diameter throughout the major portion of its length and provided at its outer end with a wide cross groove 45, to receive the tension rod, and

strut.

The inner end of the tubular strut I5 is reduced, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to provide a heel having two sets of parallel flange engaging surfaces and a vertical flange end engaging shoulder adjacent each surface; the two sets of parallel surfaces intersecting at diametrically opposite points with the circumference of the tubular strut.

The heel 55 of the strut is diamond-shaped so that when it is turned from one position in the compression member to another, it is axially moved through about 80.

Thus the slot 41 will always be close to 40. one side or the other from the vertical.

The strut is retained in position by a key 56 extending through slots 51 and 58 in the compression member and heel of the strut, respectively, and bent over to lock the same in place.

The parts constituting the brake beam C are assembled together, as shown in Fig. 1, with the tension rods extended through suitable openings in the brake heads. Nuts 32 which are in threaded connection with the tension rod ends abut the outside of the heads to secure all the parts toether.

Preferably, the nuts are provided with saw-tooth notches 33 adapted to engage teeth 34 formed on the brake head toprevent loosening of the nuts.

The present construction fulfills all the requirements of the American Railway Association and may be installed on all present rolling stock without altering the hangers or changing the position of the brake levers.

I claim:

In a brake beam assembly, a compression member having a pair of spaced flanges providing a channel therebetween, and a strut for the compression member comprising a tubular bar having a reduced end extension providing a heel adapted to fit within the channel of said compression member and seat adjacent the opposed flanges thereof, said heel being substantially diamond shape in cross section providing two sets of oppositely disposed parallel flange engaging surfaces, which surfaces intersect at diametrically opposite points within the circumference of said tubular strut providing shoulders adjacent each flange engaging surface adapted to abut the ends of said flanges.

LOUIS H. DOYLE. 

